2015 holiday season: Make sure you have these smartphone apps

Smartphone users opting to upgrade their Windows, iOS or Android devices this holiday season might be looking to install interesting apps in entertainment, gaming, productivity and other categories. Here is a list of must have apps this holiday season that can bring out the best features in a smartphone.

Productivity and Fitness apps:

Google’s creative lab has released an interesting app called Meter that displays battery, phone usage and missed calls via live wallpaper. The data are shown in a minimalist design and can be customized by tilting the handset. Microsoft Office and Evernote are retaining the top position in productivity, and Dropbox is a must-have for cloud storage.

FoxFi, an app that allows sharing internet with computers and tablets is an exclusive app for Google, while DarkSky, the weather prediction app is exclusive to iOS. Tiny Scan is a useful app for scanning doucments, and Mailbox app is useful for managing multiple email accounts with several features. MyFitnessPal is a popular fitness app for iOS and Android.

Navigation:

Google Maps has remained in the top for navigation purposes, and Waze is the world’s largest community-based and traffic navigation app. Uber is a must-have app for car-booking in this holiday season, and Lyft is an app that connects drivers for ridesharing.

Social and Photo Editing:

Facebook and Intsagram are are essentials for a smartphone. Tweetbot 4 is a must have app for Twitter users, and is exclusive to iOS. Tweetbot 4 displays the notifications in one column, and the data on how a tweet is performing. WhatsApp and Snapchat are must-have apps for texting. VSSO Cam and Snapseed are essentials for photo editing. Tap Tag is an app for geo-tagging photos, allowing users to discover locations from other people. Currently, exclusive to Android, the app is being developed for iOS. WatchESPN.com is a must-have app for sport enthusiasts

Dating:

Tinder is a dating app that has become popular recently, and Match.com is also a top app, and also uses a paid feature to find the right partner.

Media and Entertainment:

YouTube tops the list for viewing videos, and Shazam is a must-have app for finding songs using the internet. Netflix is a popular app for viewing movies and TV series, and Spotify is a top app for for songs. TuneIn Radio, Stitcher and SoundCloud are must-have podcast apps.

Misc:

Houz, an app similar to Pinterest, features more than 7 million high-res images of how a professional designs a room. The app provides inspiration for house remodeling, and connects with professional designers, and is exclusive to Android. LeadStory is a news reader app with a minimal design, a Live Tile for bringing the top story, and is available for Windows.